My initial feelings on the new K’s album ‘Pretty on the Internet’ is that it’s all a bit too soon.
Their last album I Wonder If The World Knows was only released last year. Although, they’re certainly not the only ones doing this and it’s left me wondering if this is the new state of the music industry where up and coming artists are pressured to release new music every 5 minutes (and don’t even get me started on the 35 different album varieties).
Pretty on the Internet starts with your typical high energy K’s track, Before I Hit the Floor, followed by Rat Poison, another catchy and distinctive song. It’s clear The K’s have confidently honed what they feel is their signature sound. These well written songs follow that traditional indie formula closely enough to feel familiar, and there’s some lovely little lyrical flourishes in there. However, the album drifts around this sound, not quite fully moving into new territory but also not sticking closely enough to a full indie-rock style release.
There’s no doubt it’s a good album. Tracks such as Helen, Oh I and Perfect Haunting are probably the highlight. These more obviously introspective tracks, which are a little more pulled back are highly emotive and they’re the songs you can most clearly connect to. I think outside of the opening two tracks, which do work well, this could have been a better direction to take the album.
However, it’s not a great album. It’s not as well put together as their debut, and it lacks a clear vision or direction. It’s that typical sophomore album trap. It needs to do something different or better than the first album and Pretty on the Internet doesn’t really do either. It’s fine, but it doesn’t give the impression that the band have a strong creative direction or plan moving forward at this stage. But they’re certainly not the only young band to be in this position. Second albums are tricky, and they should take heart in that there are some excellent individual tracks on there, The Bends is another example. They’ve pushed the envelope a little on this one without completely stepping away from their rocky sound and if they’d slowed down and taken a little more time to create an entire album with this idea at the centre, it could have been fabulous. There’s certainly twinkles of the band they could be, and hopefully they’ll take a breath before album 3 and put out something truly iconic.
About The K’s
The K’s are an indie rock band from Earlestown, Merseyside, formed in 2017. The band consists of Jamie Boyle (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ryan Breslin (lead guitar), Dexter Baker (bass), and Nathan Peers (drums). Known for their energetic live performances and working-class spirit, The K’s built a loyal fanbase through relentless touring and self-released singles. Their debut album, I Wonder If The World Knows, was released in April 2024 and charted at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart. With sharp lyrics, infectious melodies, and a growing reputation, The K’s have emerged as one of the UK’s most exciting new bands.
Listen to Pretty on The Internet Here.